


Human Things

by Castiel_Left_His_Mark_On_Me



Series: Destiel Feels [6]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Cooking, Dean-Centric, Fallen Castiel, Ice Cream, M/M, POV Dean Winchester, Zoo, bubble baths, learning new things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-22
Updated: 2015-03-22
Packaged: 2018-03-19 04:00:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3595539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Castiel_Left_His_Mark_On_Me/pseuds/Castiel_Left_His_Mark_On_Me
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Corny movies when it's raining outside ... good water pressure ... pie. Yeah, there are a lot of human-things Dean loves. There are so much more that he doesn't even realize he loves, but they are what keep him fighting. He knows that Cas could love them too, even though he's not an angel anymore ... his friend could learn to love being human.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Human Things

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mnwood](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mnwood/gifts).



      Even though he knows he was deprived of a lot as a child, Dean never realized how many awesome, little things he _did_ get to experience—not until he found that Cas had never been able to experience a single one. After he fell, when he became fully human and vulnerable, the one-time angel got pretty depressed. It broke Dean’s heart to say the least. He hated seeing the guy look so down, like he’s nothing without wings and glowing, blue eyes. So, Dean thought he would try to help—he decided he would show the former angel anything and everything that was good about being human.

      It started with ice cream—not just ice cream, but chasing down that white, annoying truck, looking at all the faded pictures and digging in your pockets for lint-covered quarters-kind of ice cream. Dean probably got more enjoyment out of the whole experience than Cas did, but the guy smiled a little crooked smile between licks of his plain, vanilla cone. Dean just laughed and stuck out his multi-colored tongue, saying how there are so many more flavors, and next time, he’d make sure his angel tried them all.

      Then they went to the zoo. It seemed like something Cas would like a bit more than ice cream and running down the side of the road. Even though Dean wasn’t too fond of being surrounded by animals, he muscled through it for Cas. Besides, they had funnel cake at the zoo. So he trailed behind the over-coated dork as he ran from cage to cage, sometimes chattering about the origin of a certain kind of sloth, saying how he remembers it coming to be, or just saying how intriguing evolution was and it’s a wonder that certain species actually survived. Other times, he would stand in front of the glass for a long while—looking sad, saying how he could sense the animal’s unhappiness. Dean frowned, wondering if he was failing at showing the guy anything positive about being human; but then again, he knew it would take more than just one zoo trip to make this all okay. Then Castiel came across the elephants, tromping around their big pin and letting out long, low lazy bellows that echoed throughout the zoo. Dean sauntered up to the man’s side and rested his hands on the edge of the gate, joining those blue eyes in observation of the great beasts. 

      “They are very happy in there” Cas finally said after watching a larger elephant pull down a branch for a smaller one to reach. “They know of the dangers in the world, and they know that they are safer here.” 

      Dean almost asked how the guy knew—but he stayed quiet because there’s no point in questioning the knowledge of a former angel. Dean’s just a dumb, pathetic human—he could never really understand what it’s like to know the world from the moment it burst into existence; but he can enjoy the wonder of listening to his friend speak. It’s another “human” thing that he’s taken for granted.

 

 

      When they got back to the bunker, Dean thought he might teach his buddy how to cook. It’s something that brings _him_ endless joy, after all. It’s about the only time he can make something that doesn’t have the purpose of “killing”. Quite the opposite—it allows Dean to create something that will do good, that will strengthen and nourish and protect a person’s body, not _destroy_ it. _Maybe_ … maybe Cas would like to do the same. So he brought the guy into the kitchen and asked him what he would like to make. The old angel’s blue eyes shook in fear, and Dean realized that he might not even have a clue as to what foods actually exist in the world. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, popcorn and coffee are just about the extent of his food knowledge. 

      “Okay” Dean said with a reassuring smile. “How about we go with pasta—it’s pretty easy and we can make a ton of it and chow down for days.”

      Castiel smiled and nodded, apparently liking that idea—it was practical and not too daunting. So Dean started gathering up all the supplies: noodles, cans of tomato sauce, various spices and a big pot filled with water, and a colander. He felt his friend’s eyes on him as he moved, wondering why it was giving him excited chills to be watched so intensely. Once everything was set up, he turned to Cas and called him over. The former angel scooted towards him hesitantly, as if he could break something just by standing too close.

      “Come on, man, the stove won’t bite” Dean huffed with a laugh. He reached out and pulled the guy in so their elbows brushed as he pointed out what to do next. “Alright, so grab the pasta and put it in the pot.”

      Castiel nodded, eyes still busted wide with worry. He picked up the box of pasta and slid out the long noodles into his hand. He jumped back with a start as soon as the noodles touched his skin. “They’re hard!” he cried, glancing over at Dean “Pasta is supposed to be soft! How did I ruin this already?”

      Dean wanted to hold in his laughter, but he couldn’t—he arched back and hooted, so loud the entire bunker echoed with it. 

      “Dean! It’s not funny! I ruined dinner!”

      After another few moments, Dean settled, clasping his hand on his friend’s shoulder and squeezing it softly. “Buddy, you didn’t ruin it. Pasta is hard until it boils. That’s why we got the water in the pot—now just put the noodles in there and you’ll see … they’ll start getting all _bendy_ and clear. That’s when you’ll know they’re ready to drain.”

      His friend relaxed beneath his touch and turned back to do as he was told. Once the noodles were in, Dean tried to get the man to come and sit down while they waited for the pasta to soften, but Cas refused—he wanted to stay and keep watch. “Something could go wrong if I walk away, Dean.”  
So Dean sat and flipped through a book while his friend stood in front of the stove, staring hard at the pot, waiting for the noodles to appear done. After another ten minutes, the man turned in a panic, eyeing Dean as if he were the only voice of reason in this big, scary world. 

      “ _What_?” Dean chuckled as he finally noticed he was being stared at. “Are they ready?”

      “I believe so—I … I don’t know.” The guy sounded scared and Dean sighed as he pulled himself up from his seat. 

      “Relax, Cas. This is _literally_ a meal you _can’t_ screw up—especially with me in the kitchen.” Dean walked over and Castiel moved aside, letting his instructor take in the situation. “Yep, they look pretty much done to me.” 

      “How can you be certain?” his friend asked with a shake in his voice.

      Dean smiled wickedly and thought for a moment. “Well, _there_ _Is_ one way I’ve always wanted to try but I never had the chance.”

      The man beside him shifted uneasily in his over coat, cocking his head to the side, making his hair tousle slightly. 

      Dean walked over to the drawer and pulled out a fork before returning to the boiling pot. He stuck it in and twirled a few noodles onto the prongs; pulling it back out, looking closely at the steaming, yellow strings wrapped around his utensil. 

      “Are you going to taste them?” Cas asked curiously.

      Dean only grinned wider before turning around to face the wall next to the doorway to the kitchen. With one, big heave, he lurched back his arm and then flung it forward, sending the pasta flying from the end of the fork, planting it firmly on the side of the wall. He watched as only one noodle peeled off the plaster and fell to the floor, the rest stuck in place, a tangled web of edible art.

      “What … why?” Castiel asked, sounding more panicked than he did when the noodles were hard.

      Dean laughed, looking at him with a sparkle in his eye. “Apparently it’s something they do in Italy—at least that’s what I heard. The pasta is done if it sticks to the wall. “

      Castiel turned back to look at the noodles, now drying to the paint. His brow furrowed with even more confusion. “That does not seem very sanitary, or practical—plus, we might need a larger wall if we are going to get _all_ this pasta to stick.”

A puzzled look worked across Dean’s face before finally understanding. His hilarity soon bounced off every surface of the bunker, traveling back to them and making the angel smile, seemingly just at the fact that his friend was happy.  
“No, man! We don’t throw it _all_ at the wall! We just test a _few_ noodles!” Dean finally sputtered between some more snorts. “ _Oh boy_ —this is more fun than I thought it would be!”

 

      Eventually, the pasta does get drained and the sauce does get prepared—and Castiel eased a little more with every accomplished task. As they sat around the table, slurping up noodles and chatting about their busy day—the former angel seemed genuinely happy for the first time since Dean started this venture. Sam complimented him on the food after a few, swift kicks from his older brother. Cas blushed and nodded, thanking the younger Winchester and saying he was glad the meal was satisfactory. Sam grinned at Dean and then proceeded to go over the top, saying it was the best pasta he’d ever eaten and he could die in a vat of it and be glad—that earned him another kick from underneath the table.

 

      Once the kitchen was cleaned and Sam had gone back to whatever it was he’d been doing all day, Dean suggested that Cas wash up and turn in for the night. “We’ve done a lot, and a good, long night’s sleep is something that all humans enjoy.”

      His friend nodded and thanked him for the pleasant day before turning to walk down the hall towards the bathroom—only to freeze just a few steps shy of the door. “Dean?”

      Dean turned back after nearly walking into his room to get ready for bed himself. “Yeah, buddy?”

      “I have heard that humans enjoy bubble baths—it relaxes them. I think … I think I would like to try one.”

      The freckled man raises his eyebrows as he looks his friend up and down, wondering if anyone has ever said the words “bubble bath” with such a serious tone before. “Uh—sure, man. Do … do you know how to make one?”

      Castiel looked to his feet and blushed while shaking his head.

      It’s all Dean could do not giggle at how sweet it all was— _the guy was practically an infant_. “It’s alright, man—here, I’ll set it up. Okay?”

      The former angel peered slightly from beneath his brow, still blushing but with a soft smile playing on his cheeks. “Thank you, Dean.”

      Dean walked past him, patting him on the shoulder as he went. He continued down the hall towards the far bathroom that actually had a tub in it. It was more of a big, tin basin than anything—much like you’d see in a football player’s locker room; but it’d do and Dean can’t say he hasn’t been tempted a time or two to sink down into a hot bath himself. He knew, however, Sam would probably tease him mercilessly if he ever found out, so he avoided it. The guy won’t tease Cas, though—his brother is actually pretty happy that Dean has decided to take this on. “It’s good you want to help him get used to human-things. I think it’ll help you too.” Dean wasn’t too sure what Sam meant by that, but he certainly wasn’t going to ask and listen to his bro go on some long lecture about self-healing or whatever.

      He reached out and turned on the water, wincing as the sound of it beating against the metal surface stabbed his ears. It tempered as the tub filled, but it was still loud enough that he didn’t hear Cas walk in behind him, only noticing once he turned around.

      “Woah! Jeez, man! Don’t do that!”

      Castiel frowned and stepped back into the doorway. “My apologies, Dean. I just wanted to see how this is done so I don’t have to bother you with it again.”

      The taller man laughed and waved it off “Don’t worry about it. You just startled me is all.” He turns back to the tub and pointed at the faucet. “So, you just start the water and make sure it’s the temperature you want it before you plug it up. Once that’s all good, you put that plug into the drain to keep the water from going down.” He continued pointing and looked back to see Cas, still in the doorway, craning his neck to see. “Oh my go--, come here, dude!” Dean reached back and yanked the man inside. Castiel stumbled in next to his friend, pressing his lips into a thin line looking a little embarrassed by this whole situation. Dean smiled and rested his hand between the guy’s shoulder blades. He didn’t want him to feel bad about this— after all, _everyone_ loves a bath. “So, that round thing—that’s the plug, and you put it into the drain.”

      Castiel nodded and then frowned after a longer inspection of the tub. “There are no bubbles forming.”

      Dean smiled, still with his hand on his friends back—finally moving it in small circles to reassure him for the thousand time – _not all was ruined._ “Yeah, we have to put some soap or something in there … hold on.”

      Dean ran back down the hall into the other bathroom and grabbed his shampoo, quickly returning to his friend’s side and leaning over to dump a good amount into the filling tub. He looked back as he heard Castiel gasp, eventually bending down with him to watch the bubbles sprout and build atop the water. 

      “They are beautiful” he whispered, reaching out to touch the suds. One of the bubbles popped and Cas quickly retracted his hand.

      “It’s alright, man. _They pop_ , then the come back—that’s the good thing about bubbles, I guess.”

      Castiel looked over as if he wanted to say something, but he only pressed his lips tighter together.

      The two men straightened out after another moment and stood there a while longer, watching the tub fill until Dean felt the level was right. He reached over and turned off the knobs, letting the room quiet to an impossible stillness. 

      A few more seconds passed and Dean finally cleared his throat, patting his friend on the back for a third time. “Alright, well—this is all you.” He turned to leave the bathroom, only to have his wrist collected in his angel’s hold before he could gain any ground. Dean froze, looking back as Castiel still kept his eyes on the water.

      “If it wouldn’t be too awkward, Dean—could you stay and talk with me? It’s … it is _so_ quiet.” 

      Dean swallowed hard, unsure of how he could let the guy down easy. He knows that his friend doesn’t think of these things as weird, but chatting while your buddy is naked in the tub _is_ pretty weird.

      “Cas, man … I—”

      “It’s just … ever since I fell, I don’t hear them anymore. I don’t hear the angels. I don’t hear heaven … even the sounds of the world are starting to fade. It’s just so quiet. It’s _too_ quiet … and hearing you speak, it—it makes it better.”

      Dean sighed, knowing that he couldn’t really say no after a speech like that. He groaned and turned a little, rubbing his hand over his face before finally relenting. “Fine, man … just _uh_ , just tell me when you’re like— _completely_ submerged and I will … _uh_ , I’ll come back in with like a blindfold on or something.”

      Castiel smiled as Dean walked out of the bathroom. He shut the door behind him and stood at the edge of the hall to wait for the signal. Sam poked his head out of his room, wearing a grin that said he had heard everything that had just transpired a moment ago.

      "If you don’t stick your damn head back in that room, I swear, it’s going to have a couple, new, shiny black eyes!” Dean spat, glaring at his younger brother with all the intensity of hell.

      Sam smirked and pulled back inside, shutting his door behind him but Dean could still hear his hearty chuckles loud and clear.

      “Asshole” he muttered to himself.

  
     “Alright, Dean. I believe that none of my nudity is visible!” Cas shouted, much louder than necessary. 

Dean bolted back inside the bathroom, pressing his finger to his lips, trying to shush his oblivious friend—but it was too late. Sam was already barking out more laughter. “Great! I am never going to hear the end of this!”

      “The end of what, Dean?”

      Dean rolled his eyes and pulled up the stool that was sitting beneath the vanity mirror at the far wall. “Nothing, man.” He sat on the small seat and turned so he was facing opposite the tub. “So, _um_ …” he started, rubbing the back of his neck. “What do you want to talk about?”

      The water sloshed as Cas repositioned himself in the tub—Dean couldn’t help but peek back, noticing the man’s slick arms lining the tin edges, prickling with the cool air of the bunker.

      “I’m not sure. What do people normally talk about during times like this?”

      Dean huffed out an uncomfortable laugh. “ _Buddy_ , I can’t say I’ve _ever_ experienced a time like _this_ , so I don’t know.”

      He could feel Cas’s eyes burrow into him “What do you mean? You have careless conversations with Sam all the time.”

      “Not while he’s naked and taking a bath! This sort of shit is reserved for like--married couples and crap!”

      The bathroom grew silent once more and Dean finally deflated, knowing that the quiet wasn’t helping either of them. He cocked his neck from side to side, letting it crack and release the tension. “So, what … what was your favorite animal at the zoo?”

      He heard his friend still a moment, and then the water sloshed a little more. Dean peeked back to see his friend running his hands along the surface, collecting the bubbles and then letting them float away. 

      “I enjoyed the elephants ... and the iguanas.”  

      Dean chuckled, finally meeting his friend’s eyes. “I get the elephants, but why the iguanas?”

      Cas narrowed his focus on him, as if the answer should be obvious. “Because they are _cool-looking,_ as _you_ might say.”

      He felt himself warm with the laugh that bubbled up, wondering why it was so appealing to think that his angel could find something ‘cool-looking’. But it was appealing, and he felt endlessly pleased that the guy would attribute that ability to _him_. He finally settled and look back, instantly stilling with the expression on Cas’s face—it was warm, and happy and _accepting_ … but intense, much like when they first met. The man was almost terrifying with how deeply he stared—as if he knew everything about Dean without ever having to ask. Now, with a smile being added to the mix, it was too much. Dean sprung to his feet, walking closer and then trying to back away, rubbing his neck once more and looking to the ceiling. 

      "I just remembered, man … I have some research to do and I just—”

      He felt, warm, wet fingers wrap around his arm, and in a second, he was being pulled down hard, tipping over the edge of the tub and into the steaming, sudsy water. It sloshed over the edges, over his body, sputtering up into his mouth. Dean flailed and tried to straighten himself out, but the tub was too deep and his knees bent over the side and he sunk down, causing more water to dump out and coat the floor.

      “Cas! What the hell?” he barked, wiping the bubbles from his face.

      The former angel stayed still, looking at him once more like the answer was the most obvious one to ever be conceived. “My apologies, Dean … but you said that hot water helped soften the pasta … I thought ... I thought it might do the same for you.”

      “I’m not a fucking noodle!” Dean screeched, trying to find a spot where he could put his hand in order to draw himself out of the tub. He landed his palm firmly on Castiel’s thigh. He froze, slowly sliding his hand away and staring hard at the door—praying that Sam wouldn’t come in to figure out what all the commotion was about.

      “I know you’re not a noodle, Dean. But, I assumed that people took baths for the same reason—they are tense, so the warm water soothes them—makes them ‘bendy’ if you will. You seemed very _not-bendy_ just now, and I thought … I thought you might want to relax as well.” He sighed and Dean felt him trying to urge their eyes together again. “I realize now, that that might have been an ill-conceived notion.”

      Dean kept his focus on the door, barely hearing what his friend had said because his palm was still tingling with the feel of the man’s skin. 

      “Dean?” Cas continued. “Dean, would you like me to help you up?”

      Dean stayed quiet.

      “Dean?” Cas pulled in his legs and slid closer to his friend’s side, leaning in to inspect why the man wasn’t talking. “Dean, are you alright?”

      Dean finally came to with the feel of the man’s breath on his cheek. He turned slowly to meet his gaze, drowning in the new waters that washed over him. 

      “Dean, would you like me to help you out?”

      He felt Cas’s hand wrap around his warming arm, bubbles sliding over to hug to his angel’s bare shoulders. _Water slicking over skin_ — _another_ human thing he never appreciated enough. “No” Dean said breathlessly.

      Cas looked at him, confused, but nodded while pulling his hand away. Dean grabbed it, knotting their fingers together like the noodles still sticking to the kitchen wall.

 _Holding hands_. Another human thing …

      “Dean, what are you—”

      Dean leaned across the foam and sloshing water, silencing his friend with the press of their lips.

 _Kissing someone when words won’t do_ —another one.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr: castiel-left-his-mark-on-me. Please take a look at my other works as well ... many more feels, hottness and angst!


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